Time to Talk About Jesus

I don't do it often, I have fairly personal reasons, but I just don't talk about Jesus on this forum very often. This is a long post but I didn't believe it should be broken up. So read until you're bored but be prepared that there is much.

Here's the thing, I was raised in the church. As literally as you can get. I was raised by sweet, sweet Southern Baptist parents. The comedian Mark Lowry (cause of course we watched all of his- and the Gaither- specials growing up!) once said his mama took him to church any time the doors were open. That was us. Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. Add to that, I went to private Christian elementary school. That meant chapel on Wednesdays (4 church services a week) and Bible as a CLASS every day. This wasn't Bible study in the sense of "find the spirit." This was know the stories and words of the Bible inside and out and it will show up on your report card.

My parents, though Baptist, were very balanced. They taught us tolerance and grace in their own unique way. We did Lent and celebrated Easter with a Seder. We announced the coming and going of Hanukkah and read the Christmas story every Christmas morning before opening gifts. They taught us to love and embrace our faith by teaching us to appreciate all the history and forms of it. It's awesome.

A fellow blogger recently wrote of her convictions. I'm still not entirely sure how public her blog is (it's gone in and out of the public eye some as their lives have reached different stages) or else I would link to it here. She was basically writing though on her Christian convictions in regards to consumerism. I had recently been exploring my own convictions as Lent was upon us. She and her family have been called to serve in a very unique and hands-on way. Her convictions are going to be different than mine. I have never been comfortable sharing my faith in the way that she does (or even did back in the youth group days). It took me a long time to discover why and then to embrace the way God has led me.

Here's the thing guys. I'm a logical, intelligent person who understands that faith is regularly illogical. My science and religion honors course though taught me how to equalize these tugs on my heart and intellect. Intellect is a malleable and varied thing. Everyone shows their intellect differently and in different levels. Our intellect is what processes everything that is input into our minds including religious teachings. That means we all interpret these teachings differently. Because we're all individuals and no two personal faiths are identical.

I think her convictions have a lot of meaning to her as she's actively serving as a missionary in a 3rd world country. Her mission field is different from mine.

When I read the stories, when I learned the Bible, the thing that struck me most about Jesus was how he was just a nice guy. He didn't often lose his temper, he RARELY critiqued those of different faiths. He was in fact most critical of those within his own faith. Jesus was kind. He loved everyone, he helped them out when he could, and ultimately that meant dying for all of us. He's a good guy. That's my personal take-away. Others focus on his generosity, some focus on his teachings, some on his sacrifices. We are all struck by it differently because we are individuals.

I talk most about my faith to my mother still. Maybe that will change as my marriage deepens (as I highly suspect it will), but for now that's the situation. She and I often talk of our mission field and how we can show our faith.

My mission field is my work. I'm a teacher. I'm a teacher in a hard district. I don't know how long I'll stay and I don't know where my long-term career is going. But you know what? God placed me there. These kids need a love and acceptance in a way many won't give. They need a person to trust, who'll tell them like it is, but let them hang with her anyway. If you want the Bible analogy, they are the Mary Magdalene at my well. Outsiders to many but totally cool with me. I'm not Jesus, obviously, but isn't it my job as His follower to emulate him?

My mom actually found my life verse (naturally). She saw it on a piece of wall art and gifted it to me. It's hung in my closet ever since, where I see it every day. II John 1:6. The sign says simply: Walk in Love.  My favorite Bible (the Max Lucado devotional Bible) translates it fully as: "And love means living the way God commanded us to live. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is this: Live a life of love."

How has God commanded you to live? Has He commanded you to live in a different country? Has He commanded you to work actively in your church? Has He commanded you to show patience to children who haven't seen it before? God needs His soldiers in all areas of the field. He needs them everywhere. Satan wants you to feel guilty. That you aren't doing enough. He wants you to feel inadequate and inept. He wants you to feel unable and unworthy. God doesn't wish those things upon you. My belief is true and consistent, He wants us to live as we saw Him and He wants us to show love.

This isn't meant to justify. We all have our mission field and we need to work in it. Sometimes God nudges us into an unfamiliar territory for a reason but He will always place us where we can do our most good. Are you able to live a life of Christian example where you are? Are you able to live a life of love? If so, then you're probably where He wants you and you need to embrace it, work with it, and run with it. Don't second guess where God has led you in life, instead take everything He has given you and put it to use. Christian witness and love is needed on every level, in every setting, in every corner of the world. Maybe you don't see it now but His work will be known in time as long as you stay true to Him.